After the two matches in Seoul, today is Opening Day for all 30 teams. In the National match between Atlanta and the Dodgers, which however is affected by the betting case involving the star Ohtani
Journalist
March 28 – 09:29 – MILAN
In reality, the MLB season has already started, last week in Seoul, South Korea, with the two matches between the Dodgers and Padres. But the real Opening Day, the one in the USA, falls today. All 30 teams will be on the field (or at least, that’s what the calendar predicted, the rain has already forced the preventive postponement of New York Mets-Milwaukee and Philadelphia-Atlanta). The regular season will end on September 29th. The All Star Game will be played on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, home of the defending champions, the Texas Rangers. Astros and Rockies will face each other in Mexico City on April 27 and 28, Mets and Phillies in London on June 8 and 9. There will also be a very particular challenge, the one between the Cardinals and Giants who on June 21st will play at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the oldest stadium in America and home of the Black Barons at the time of the “Negro Leagues”, the reserved league to African Americans before the integration that occurred thanks to the signing of Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
american
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In the American League East, the underdogs go to the defending champions, the Baltimore Orioles, who won 101 games last season and added Corbin Burnes to the rotation, awaiting the return from injuries of Kyle Bradish and John Means. In the Central, in the front row there are the Minnesota Twins, who also lost the finalist for the Cy Young Award, Sonny Gray, who moved to the Cards. The offensive talent of Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa will still make the difference. In the West, the usual Houston Astros are in the front row, ready to win the division for the 7th time in 8 years, even with a new manager, Joe Espada. The names are always the same: Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Framber Valdez. The new one is Josh Hader, a top-level closer. For the three wild cards, the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Rangers seem a cut above the others. With Tampa Bay ready to enter the fight.
national
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The Atlanta Braves are aiming for their 7th straight NL East title after a 307 home run season, with Spencer Strider among the favorites for the National’s Cy Young and the addition of Chris Sale, who arrived from the Red Sox where in recent years he has I was almost always in the pits injured. Bullpen strengthened by the arrival of Aaron Bummer and the confirmation of Joe Jimenez and Pierce Johnson. The Central is much more open, with the Chicago Cubs slightly favored over the Cincinnati Reds, thanks to the return of Cody Bellinger and the signing of the Japanese talent Shota Imanaga, a left-hander who will lend a hand on the mound among the starters. In the West, the Dodgers’ minimum goal is to win the World Series. The division is just the first step with a killer lineup. But there is the shadow of the betting case involving Shohei Ohtani, the 700 million pitcher, to cause fear. Arizona, San Francisco and Philadelphia position themselves as the favorites for the wild cards.
predictions
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Orioles-Braves seems to be the most popular final. But, as mentioned, the Dodgers are there, ready to bite their rivals. For Baltimore it would be the first triumph since 1983, when the home idols were Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray and Jim Palmer. A year ago they prepared the table, now they are ready to feast.
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2024-03-28 08:32:22
#MLB #baseball #season #begins #Baltimore #favorite
